This invention relates in general to apparatuses, machines, devices or other equipment for handling elastic, thin-walled, elongated, tubular members having a single closed end, such as finger cots, condoms, balloons or the like. In particular, the invention relates to such apparatuses which orient the tubular members in a desired orientation, and even more particularly to such apparatuses which utilize suction to transport the tubular members from a first location to a second location, where the tubular members are randomly oriented when received from the first location but are identically oriented when delivered to the second location.
Tubular members such as finger cots, condoms, balloons and the like are formed of elastic polymeric material and typically are relatively thin with a generally elongated body shape, such that the longitudinal axis is greater than the diameter, where one end is closed and the other end is open. Usually, wall material is rolled to form a ring on the open end. Such members are difficult to handle in bulk because of the elasticity and friction characteristics inherent in the material of construction, the lack of structural rigidity, the relatively small size, the ease of rupture if mishandled and other factors. It is desirable in many circumstances, and sometimes required, that individual members be processed in some manner. For example, condoms must be tested by stretching each condom onto a testing mandrel. Balloons may need to be imprinted with designs or lettering.
One of the problems encountered in handling these types of tubular members is orientation, whereby it is often necessary that each individual member be oriented in like manner for a particular handling, processing or testing operation. For example, it will often be necessary for all the individual members to be delivered to a particular location either open end first or closed end first. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus or structure which may be incorporated into a tubular member handling apparatus which rapidly and simply orients the tubular members such that they are all delivered in like orientation. It is a further object to provide such an apparatus which can be applied to any handling apparatus wherein the tubular members are individually transported by suction from a first location to a second location. These and other objects not expressed in this section will be apparent from and will be accomplished as described in the disclosure which follows.
The invention is in general an apparatus, device or structure for handling and orienting elastic, thin-walled, generally elongated, tubular members having a closed end and an open end, such as for example finger cots, condoms, balloons or the like, such that individual tubular members are received from a first location in random orientation and delivered to a second location with all tubular members oriented in the same manner. The invention comprises in general a first suction or retrieving conduit for receiving the randomly oriented tubular members, a second suction or delivery conduit for delivering the tubular members in identically oriented manner, said delivery conduit being mounted at an angle to said retrieving tube to form a junction, with the angle preferably being a right angle, and a reversing chamber extending generally linearly or coaxially from the retrieval conduit a short distance beyond the junction and opening of the delivery conduit into the retrieval conduit, where the reversing chamber has a closed end wall, and suction means to draw the tubular members individually through said retrieving and delivery conduits. The conduits are preferably circular in cross-section and are chosen to be slightly greater in diameter than the cross-section diameter of the particular tubular members being handled. The reversing chamber extends beyond the junction between the first suction conduit and the second suction conduit a distance preferably less than the overall length of the tubular member in the unstretched state.
The retrieval conduit is preferably of significantly greater length than that of the tubular members, such that friction effects between the tubular member and the inner walls of the retrieval conduit during passage of the tubular member will position the tubular member in a generally linear fashion, such that the longitudinal axis of the tubular member is parallel or coaxial with the central axis of the retrieval conduit. As the tubular member reaches the opening of the delivery conduit, one of two scenarios will occur. If the tubular member was retrieved and is moving with the closed end in front and the open end to the rear, such that the closed end passes first through the retrieval conduit, defined to be the forward orientation, the closed end is drawn directly into the delivery conduit through the junction and the tubular member is delivered closed end first. If the tubular member is moving through the retrieval conduit with the open end in front and the closed end in the rear, such that the open end passes first through the retrieval conduit, defined to be the reverse orientation, the suction does not turn the tubular member and it will continue linearly past the junction and across the opening to the delivery conduit, with the open end striking the closed end wall of the reversing chamber and the remainder of the tubular member collapsing against the closed end wall such that the closed end passes over the opening, where it is then drawn into the delivery conduit and delivered with the closed end in front and the open end in the rear. Typically the tubular members are deposited onto one or more thin rods or similar members, where the suction or gravity effects causes the tubular member to invert as the closed end meets the tip of the rods so that the main body of the tubular member is pulled over the rods.